


She's The Earth And Heaven.

by AlwaysInSonder



Series: I Won't Say I'm In Love [3]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Childhood Memories, F/M, Fluff, I Promise I Will Make Up For This With Tons Of Fluff, I Was Really Upset Writing This :(, Interspecies Romance, Marriage, Nick's Childhood, Wedding Trope, brief mention of domestic violence, one day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-08-07 11:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7713790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysInSonder/pseuds/AlwaysInSonder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He’ll tell her what she means to him. One day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	She's The Earth And Heaven.

Nick popped a few blueberries into his mouth while giving Judy a smirk as Bonnie flipped through baby albums. Judy seethed across him, buried under a few dozen younger siblings who’d missed their sister terribly. His eyes softened as Bonnie paused on Judy as an infant.

**_Judith Laverne Hopps, 3 months, 26/12/1990_ **

Her little ears were flopped down, her tiny paws clinging to a toy bunny that was nearly as big as her and looked a lot like her. He felt a gradual smile on his lips as he noticed that Judy practically slept the same now.

“Baby bunnies have separation anxiety when they’re very young. As much as I’d love to hold all my babies in one go, I can only manage about five at a time. Stu’s sister would make these sweet little toy bunnies for them to cuddle with. Oh, I couldn’t even tell apart my babies from soft toys! Judy still has – “

“Mom!”

Judy blushed and yanked a crawling sibling off her arm. “Let’s not bore Nick with this.”

“Au contraire, Judith. I adore looking at these pictures and listening to stories about you. You were just _darling_.”

Nick was enjoying this tremendously. After weeks of torturous suppression of his _very_ foreign emotions, he could finally be his slick, suave self again. Besides, it was much easier to hide goo goo eyes when one’s partner was focused on being morbidly embarrassed.

“Oh, wasn’t she?”

Bonnie began affectionately talking of the times Judy aggravated her parents in more ways than one (and still did). Nick gave Judy amused glances, hearing stories of her juvenile acts of heroism. From saving the little mammals from bullies, reporting cheaters dutifully and to being the most responsible, no-nonsense hall monitor the school board has ever seen. She was, dare he say it, adorable.

“She once gave me a warning ticket for running after one of the babies down the school hallway!”

Just _adorable_.

Nick laughed along with Bonnie, looking over to Judy who’d allowed the bunch of siblings to hide her shame.

“Mother. _Please_."

“Oh yes! I should show you her talent show video from when she was nine!”

Judy’s eyes widened in panic just as Nick’s smirk turned to one of sadistic glee. He’d been wondering where Judy got her theatrical flair from.

“Oh, yes _please_.”

“Absolutely not! Nick, didn’t you promise me that you’ll help me with the summer harvest?”

“Judy! He’s our guest!”

“Aw Mrs Hopps, it’s no bother. But I would _love_ to see that video. Hey, why not post it on MuzzleBook?”

“…What the- NO!”

“Oh yes! That’s a wonderful idea! Your aunts and uncles would love to see it Judy! Good thinking Nick.”

Judy shot him a glare as her mother patted his arm and went off in search for Tobias, the ‘tech’ bunny of their family while herding the children away from the pair. He chuckled and poked her little twitching nose playfully before lounging back on the couch, plucking one of the thick albums to flip through.

“Gotta hand it to your parents, they really do all they can for each kit…”

Judy sighed and slumped comfortably next to him. “Yeah, I guess. I love them, but they really do annoy the carrots out of me.”

He gave the obligatory annoyed sigh and eye-roll as she threw herself next to him. While Nick kept his racing heart in check, they both looked over pictures of her as she grew up. In every step of her life, he noticed that her parents, through their strained smiles, looked worried for their over-achieving daughter. In contrast, Judy’s wide eyes were full of hope, knowing that she was one stop closer to achieving her dreams.

Nick shook his head as he went over countless awards photos, reading the small notes her parents put in. Judy eventually lost interest and began a game of Veggie Crush on her phone, all the while snuggling up to him.

**_Judy’s Kindergarten Graduation ’95 (Valedictorian)_ **

**_Judy’s Sports Meet Ceremony ’02 (1 st in Hopscotch and Hayball)_ **

**_Judy’s High School Graduation ’08 (Valedictorian and voted Most Likely to Succeed)_ **

“Really? There’s valedictorian for kindergartners now?”

“Well, there hasn’t been a single mammal who’s aced every single spelling test _and_ performed a rousing recitation of the constitution of Zootopia.”

He rolled his eyes at that and flipped through the pages. He felt the corners of his lips quirk as he came to the most recent one.

**_Judy’s Police Academy Graduation ’15 (Valedictorian)_ **

And to his surprise, on the opposite page;

**_Nick’s Police Academy Graduation ’16 (Valedictorian)_ **

In the first picture, and pretty much all of the ones before, Judy’s parents and siblings looked proud. Without a doubt, they were proud. But Nick saw from her parents' eyes, the furrow between Stu’s brows and strained smile in Bonnie’s that they had been terrified too. Worried for their daughter and for the cruelties of the world that waited for her. 

But then his eyes moved to the one directly across it. It was much less crowded than the former and it had himself, his mother and Judy. In this picture, there was nothing short of pride and happiness – in both ladies’ eyes. His paw rested over his mother who’d worn her special purple dress that his father had last made just for her. The only other time she had worn that was her other proudest moment of his life, his high school graduation.

“What’s this doing here?”

He grumbled, feeling a little too choked up for his liking. Judy, who’d made herself cosy by his side, her feet up and her head fully rested on his shoulder, looked over from her phone to the album. She herself seemed to be surprised but unbothered by the photograph being there.

“Oh, I sent that photo to my parents. They must’ve put it there.”

It was odd of them to, but he figured they had just wanted to document every moment of their daughter’s life. Even if it was her odd fox friend’s graduation.

He thought back to his mother who’d worked to the bone trying to raise him. They didn’t have much of an extended family. His own father had been a poor orphan, to his knowledge and his mother had come from a wealthy family who'd abandoned her as soon as they found out that she was carrying a low-life’s cub. Everyone in the neighbourhood he had grown up in had naturally assumed that Nick’s father had left his family to fend for their own as fox fathers often did. It was nothing like that, not even close.

What Nick realized over the years was that he only chose to remember how other mammals treated his father. He remembered distinctly following after his father to banks, most of which were owned by prey. All rejected him without much thought nor with the proper consideration that was deserved. He actually had a lucrative business idea - a tailor that made suits customized for the mammal. A suit from Mousey's was going to fit a giraffe in a different way in comparison to a hippo afterall. But for some reason, no banks granted them the loan they desperately needed.

As a cub, Nick only remembered feeling enraged for his father. And more shamefully, embarrassed and ashamed – of his heritage, of who he was born as. It was not until he was much older, and when he had met Judy, did he look upon those memories with a different perspective.

Robert Wilde never cursed in front of his son; always made sure his cub wore mended, good clothes and worked tirelessly making suits for the shadier characters of Zootopia. Not because he wanted to – but because no one wanted to do business with a fox. Not once during those rejections, did his father act out in rage. He was always polite, professional and never failed to give a smile and a pawshake after each meeting. He’d take his stewing son’s paw and gently lead him out, sigh softly to himself and ruffle the top of his head.

_“Well son, that’s another no to add to the list. But hey, there’s still that bank down at Tundratow-“_

_“Why do we even bother?!”_

_The older fox looked up in surprise from his papers in surprise as Nick threw down the presentation slides in frustration, stepping on them furiously._

_“Why don’t they like us?! It’s so unfair!”_

_“Nicholas Piberius Wilde, you stop that right this moment.”_

_Nick stopped just like that. His father never raised his voice at him or his mother and now was no exception. But he’d managed to lace all seriousness to convey exactly how he felt about his son’s behaviour._

_Robert picked up his cub, setting him on his lap and Nick winced, anticipating a spanking. But instead, his father hugged him._

_“Papa?”_

_He only petted him behind the ears quietly. It seemed like he was lost in his thoughts and for once in his very short life, Nick noticed the faded, dull orange fur poking through his father’s brilliant red mane their kind was known for._

_“Son…The world…The world is unfair. There is nothing we can do about that. Perhaps we can complain, act out in anger…”_

_He loosened the hug, and gestured to the crumpled presentation cards. Nick’s ears flattened in guilt and he looked up tearfully at his dad._

_“I…I’m sorry Pa. I didn’t mean it…”_

_“Hush now, it’s okay.”_

_He brushed the tears from his son’s eyes and he wondered if it really was the right thing to do, letting his son see his father cry. His own father had been everything he despised in a fox. Cold, cynical, unaffected and every bit as despicable as they came. Ever since he’d returned home one day to see his mother crying in one corner, nursing a bruised eye, he’d sworn he would never turn out like him. He took action._

_He moved his mother out, got a new job at a tailor’s making suits for the rich and met the love of his life who’d given him the most precious gift ever. The very gift that sniffled in his arms; angry at the world and at himself._ _Was he about to repeat his father’s mistakes and raise his cub the way he did? Take out his frustrations on his family instead of providing them unconditional love, guidance and protection as fathers did?_

_“You know what son? Be angry.”_

_Nick lifted his head in confusion and he gestured around him. They were in an empty parking lot, outside the bank. It was far too early for anyone to be out and about (the bankers didn’t want their regular clientele to see that they had unsavoury individuals as patrons as well) and they were pretty much on their own._

_“There’s no one around, shout it to the world.”_

_And Nick did. He screamed and yelled as much as his little voice could take. He finally stopped as the rage left his body and he was left sobbing against his father’s chest. His father stroked his back gently and only spoke when his sobs turned to sniffles._

_“Now, how do you feel?”_

_Nick sniffled and blinked his teary eyes up at him._

_“I’m... still a little mad.”_

_Robert shook his head and poked his son lightly at the head._

_“I know you are, sport. But don’t you feel… a little lighter?”_

_“I…I guess I do.”_

_He smiled at that and set his son down so he’d stand face-to-face with him._

_“Now son, I want you to listen carefully. You’re a fox. Do you know what that means?”_

_“That we’re sly, con…conee-ving and bad.”_

_His dad’s eyebrow raised in amusement but concern overrode that._

_“Now, where’d you learn that?”_

_“Finnick.”_

_Robert sighed and set his paws on his son’s tiny shoulders. “You really have to stay away from that kid, son. He may be tiny, but he’s older than you and he sniffs of trouble to me.”_

_“But he defended me from the bad kids, Pa! He’s one of the good guys!”_

_He looked down his son, feeling a sense of dread overcoming him. He can teach all of these things to his son, but that can only do so much._

_“Nick, if there’s one thing you’re going to learn from your old man, let it be this.”_

_He tugged off Nick’s little blazer and dusted it off and pulled it back on. He straightened the lapels, tightened his tiny tie and tugged out the shirt sleeves neatly._

_“Always put your best self out to the world, before they choose one for you.”_

_“But Pa, I’m a good kid!”_

_“I know you are son, you are the best cub your Ma and I could ever ask for.”_

_He ruffled his son’s head affectionately, but combed it out lovingly with his paws right after._

_“But there are going to be people out there who are going to put you down for pretty much no reason. There could be a reason, and sometimes, it can be a good one. But you can’t give them the opportunity to make up one. Do you get what I mean?”_

_His little cub, of only six years, looked up at him in confusion. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, kneeling before him to reflexively tidy his son’s clothes once more._

_“You’re so young, but you’re already seeing the world as it is…”_

_He mumbled softly under his breath. The little cub looked up at his father, quietly sensing that there was something amiss. He may not understand what was going on fully, but he was perceptive enough to know that it wasn’t good and that it upset his father more than he had let on._

_“How about I make it simpler? Never let them see that they get to you, Nicky. Don’t let no one tell you what you can or cannot be. You can be angry at the world, all you want. But that not going to do sh- ah, anything. You think your Ma and I would be this happy if we lived like thieves?”_

_“But that’s what people think we are.”_

_“But we’re not, Nicky. We make an honest, good living. We’d be living even better too once we get our tailoring business up and running. Wilde & Son’s Suitopia!”_

_“But Pa, I overhead the bunnies next door last night. They said we got by on ‘dirty money’. They said something about Ma too. Pa, what’s a nightwalker?”_

_His father’s expression had gone stone cold then. Nick thought he saw the flash of sharp teeth, but his father righted himself and straightened his tie. An act, Nick noticed, his father did when he was agitated._

_“Bunnies are friendly huh? What a whole load of…”_

_He stopped and looked down at his son’s wide eyed stare. He shook his head and took his son’s paw._

_“Why don’t you tell me Nicholas, what do you think of your mother?”_

_“She’s pretty, gives me tummy rubs and makes the best blueberry pies!”_

_“There we go, bud. That’s all you need to know. Now, let’s get you back to your mother while I get that loan from Tundratown.”_

_“But Papa?”_

_“Yes?”_

_“You haven’t said what you thought of mama.”_

_Robert had to smile at that and began walking towards the subway._

_“She’s the Earth and Heaven to me. Both of you are.”_

Nick smiled cynically at the memory. They had called his mother a whore. She wasn’t a prostitute as much as their bunny neighbours loved to believe. Marian worked as a waitress for a predator’s club. Sure, unsavoury things happened there, but usually they tended to stay clear of the staff. Besides, no other place in Zootopia would willingly pay above the minimum wage to a vixen. They didn’t really need the money, and his father had reminded his wife many times that she was more than welcome to be a housewife, but Marian Wilde seemed determined on ensuring that their only cub had a comfortable college fund – an endeavour that was a luxury for most predators.

His mother had been educated –sent to the top private school in all of Zootopia. Once her family’s wealth and influence was cut off, she was left to live a simpleton’s life. Nick never understood why his mother would leave all of that just for love. Even when he fell in love for the first time – with a pretty, dark-furred vixen by the name of Felicity Silverfox; Nick couldn’t understand why giving up a life of comfort would be worth an attractive mammal.

He looked down and saw that Judy had dozed off on his shoulder with her phone to her face. He picked up the device gently and set it on the coffee table before moving her body to a more comfortable position. He leaned back against the sofa, allowing her to curl comfortably against his chest. It was a position that was almost second-nature to them. There was nothing particularly sexual nor romantic about it. It was simply two, lonely mammals depending on the other for warmth and comfort.

But then again, he supposed that was what love was.

_“There’s my darlin’”_

_Robert Wilde wrapped his arms around his wife’s waist as he his voice turned to a low growl. He brought his snout down to her neck to give a playful nibble and the vixen in his arms giggled softly but pushed him away just as his paws slipped to a more suggestive location._

_“Nicky’s awake, Robbie!”_

_“We can be quiet. I want to touch my wife.”_

_His playful growls turned to one of a highly suggestive deep rumble that was sure to arouse (in more ways than one) their neighbour’s attention. Marian just swatted her husband’s behind playfully, begging him to stop but blushing all the same._

_“Papa!”_

_The little fox dashed out of his room. Robert quickly slipped his paws up to a more cub-friendly position to the curve of his wife’s hip. He gave her a covert wink, his signature suave smirk (that his own son would perfect) promising more later with a “I’m not done with you, sweetheart” before releasing her._

_Robbie knelt and stretched out his arms for his son who immediately jumped into them. The tiny mammal wrapped his little arms tight around his Papa’s neck._

_“There’s my little rascal!”_

_He attacked him with affectionate kisses and nuzzles, laughing over his son’s childish giggles and breathy protests_

_“Guess what son? We got a loan!”_

_Marian turned to her husband in surprise and a worried furrow appeared between her brows. Robert noticed immediately but gave her one of his relaxed, easy  "Don’t worry, darlin' " smiles. Their son’s excitement took over at that moment, and she tried to shelve the worries that instantly popped up into her mind._

* * *

_“I told you not to take it from them! We don’t know what they’re like Robin!”_

_“Calm down, sweetheart. It’s fine. They’re predators.”_

_“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of. You know they work with the mafia! We can’t get entangled in that mess!”_

_“We’re not going to. All I did was ask for a loan, not to kiss the Don’s paws!”_

_The cub’s ears flattened and he hugged himself. Even though they spoke in hushed tones and only in their room well past his bedtime, Nick could still make out the conversation through the thin apartment walls. His parents have been arguing a lot more frequently as of late. They’ve argued before, but those ‘fights’ often blew over fairly quickly and then they’d lock themselves in their room when they think he’s asleep. This time, he’d seen his father leave the house in frustration, coming back late into the night, smelling faintly of tobacco and alcohol._

_His mother began to smile less and the furrow between her brows deepened over time. His parents still loved each other, he knew as much. His father still kissed her before he left for work, and they still called each other by their endearments. But he noticed through the keyhole of his door that his mother would sometimes come out to sleep on the couch and his father following after her a few hours later to carefully carry his sleeping wife back to their bed and assume the couch for himself._

* * *

 

_“…I’m sorry Mrs Wilde…He was in the line of fire."_

_“…No…No, that can’t be true…”_

_“Mama?”_

_A sleepy cub padded out into the living room, hugging a little Captain Zootopia action figure to his side. His mother hastily wiped her eyes and turned to him. She was shaking._

_“Go to bed baby. Mama will come to tuck you in later.”_

_But Nick was already at the door, staring up curiously at the large, imposing tiger in police suit. His cap was off and in his paws and his glinting, yellow eyes seemed to soften as they made out the tiny cub in the darkness. He knelt down before him and pointed to the toy._

_“Hey there buddy. What’cha got there?”_

_“It’s Captain Zootopia!” Nick thrust the mini lion to his face in a flying motion. The officer smiled at that but his expression quickly turned grim. He sighed and patted the cub’s tiny head and straightened himself up._

_“I’m sorry for your loss, Mrs Wilde. A few of my colleagues will come by later, you’re required to see your husband for…identification.”_

_Marian Wilde could only look down at her son for a prolonged period of silence before giving a soft thank you and closing the door after the officer. She gulped hard and leaned her head against the door._

_“Honey, go back to bed please.”_

_His mother’s voice sounded strange and Nick lifted his head up to her. He stepped forward hesitantly, feeling a sense of dread overcome his little form._

_“…Mama? Why were the cops here?”_

_He thought he heard a sob but his mother’s face was turned away from him. Nick’s little ears flattened against his head and he dropped his toy, padding over hug his mama’s legs._

_At that very moment, little Nick didn’t understand, but knew instinctively he wasn’t ever going to see his father again._

* * *

 

Nick pinched the bridge of his snout and sighed. His heart felt heavy, but almost instinctively, the dozing bunny next to him curled her arms around him. His eyes widened as he felt blood rush to the tip of his ears. He looked down at the bunny, fast asleep in his arms again. This was the fifth time this week. Was she losing sleep over the prospect of introducing her ‘lover’?

Nick’s mind was too emotionally worn to give that any further thought and he simply leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

He’ll tell her what she means to him. One day.

* * *

 

“Nick! Toby managed to upload it, you shoul- Oh!”

Bonnie Hopps silenced the fluffle of bunnies that followed after her as they gasped, groaned in disgust and giggled at the sight before them. Judy’s head was tucked beneath Nick's snout, his arms firmly around her. His tail seemed to cover her protectively and her paws were curled around his torso. 

Bonnie covered her mouth to smother a giggle and ran off to find her husband.

“Stu! Get the camera!”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, hope you enjoy this installment! I wanted to explore Nick's idea of love - all sorts of love at that. If y'all like, I'd love to write a memory involving Felicity SIlverfox (homage to the other pretty, lady fox from the other furry movie Fantastic Mr Fox) should the inspiration hit me. I already have some sneaky ideas to torture the adolescent version of our favourite vulpine. 
> 
> My apologies if you were expecting more WildeHopps. There'd definitely be more! I felt like Nick's backstory was important to the story as it offered insight into how and why he is the Nick we all know and adore. (He's inherited the suaveness from his daddy, as you can see.) I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless! Please do leave your thoughts! :)


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